


Personality Transplant

by Mysticmcknight



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-07-31
Updated: 2002-07-31
Packaged: 2017-11-12 18:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/494150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mysticmcknight/pseuds/Mysticmcknight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Voyager passes through a strange nebula that has some very odd reactions on two members of her crew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Personality Transplant

**Author's Note:**

> The characters belong to Paramount. Again since they are no longer using them I’ve decided to take our boys out of the ‘closet’ and let them play and be happy. Enjoy.

“Steady as we go, Tom” Janeway stated to her chief helmsman as Voyager started to enter the huge gaseous nebula that will cut three months off their journey via the stable vortex on the other end. 

“Steady as she goes,” Tom chimed back with his usual good spirit.

The Alpha shift of Voyager sat in silent awe of the multiple colors that now surrounded them as they were fully engulfed in the spacial phenomenon. It was like traveling through a kaleidoscope that housed the entire spectrum of colors ever experienced by the human eye, and it left it’s presence to be felt in its simplistic beauty. 

“Harry, ETA to other side?” Janeway asked in a hushed whisper, her eyes still locked on the screen before her. 

“Same as before, Captain, thirty minutes, no changes.” 

“Isn’t it beautiful, Commander?” 

“It’s totally wow, like nothing I’ve ever seen before, like totally awesome,” Chakotay said with excitement as he shifted in his seat, his right hand on his hip, the left elbow resting on the arm rest, the wrist curled, and two fingers resting on his chin in a rather…feminine pose. 

Janeway’s eyes grew wide as she turned to look at her First Officer, “Commander, are you all right?” she asked, not sure if she heard him right or not. 

Chakotay looked at her and gave a small gasp, “Like couldn’t be better,” he said, his hands gesturing out ward, and then turned to the screen. “This is like…such a mind blower…like wow!” he continued as he stood up, and rested his right hand on his hip again, this time with a shift in his weight, that was most definitely out of character for him…since it was so…feminine. He gestured out with his left toward the screen, “I like, can see…forever, and like see nothing. It is so cool it’s hot,” he smiled back at her. 

“Would you do us the favor and take a seat,” Tom Paris said, but his tone was more mature than normal. When he turned he appeared to be more withdrawn in his expression. 

“Like, I don’t recall asking your opinion?” Chakotay snapped, re-shifting on his feet, staring at Tom, this time the other hip more prominent. 

Janeway and the others looked on just long enough to see they had a problem. “Commander, perhaps you and Tom should go to sickbay, you’re…not yourselves,” she said gently, not sure what was going on. 

Chakotay shifted away from her, “Like, no way.” 

“She’s right, your acting like a spoiled brat,” Tom said firmly, steepling his fingers, his chair turned, looking at them all. 

“Like, who asked your opinion, Pops?” he sniped as he walked, using wide steps to reach his goal. “Like, besides, the last time I saw that quack, like he gave me like such a head ache.”

“You say like, one more time, and you’ll give us the headache,” Tom retorted gruffly. 

“Gentlemen…you both need to go see…”

Chakotay stuck his right hand out, the left one on his hip this time, “Like, talk to the hand, the rest ain’t listening.” 

“Captain, I apologize for my impertinent behavior,” Tom replied standing up as if to cooperate. 

Before Janeway could react, both men shifted on their feet as if a wave of dizziness came over them. She moved forward but suddenly Chakotay shot passed her to her seat and jumped into it, like a child full of excitement. 

“Commander…?”

“Weeee…this is sooo much fun!” he shouted with child like enthusiasm, clapping his hands, and kicking out his feet. “Can we do it again?” 

Once more, before Janeway responded, another voice echoed out. “You cut that out this minute, young man.” She turned to see Tom in the universal mother mode, hips shifted to her side, arms folded and the ‘look’. 

“Get the doctor up here…now,” she ordered. 

“Awww, this is fun…please?” Chakotay begged in a whiny voice. 

“I said no, young man. Now come here.”

“No.”

“Don’t push me.” 

“No, and you can’t make me,” Chakotay replied in his stubbornness child like voice and gripped the sides of the chair and stuck out his tongue at Tom. 

“I’m going to tell your father, young man, if you don’t behave and come here by the time I count three,” Tom said in a higher pitched voice that sounded all too motherly. “One…”

“NO! I want to say!” Chakotay shouted, then proceeded to throw a major hissy fit, kicking, stomping the floor, crying up a storm. 

“Two.” 

Janeway kept everyone at bay as the Doctor entered the bridge. 

“Three!” 

Before the Doctor could speak, the tantrum stopped, and once more both men shifted as if experiencing a dizzy spell, that lasted seconds. Then Tom started skipping around the bridge and bending down as if picking flowers and placing them in an imaginary basket. 

“Captain?” 

They’ve both started acting strange since we entered the nebula. As far as I can tell, they’re the only ones affected. It’s like their alternating various…personalities?” she said, moving toward the still form of Chakotay, only to be startled when he leaped out of his seat over the railing in front of Tom, who screamed just like a little girl. 

“Oh, did...I…SCARE YOU?’ Chakotay shouted, getting into Tom’s face, and then chuckling darkly. “Awe, little baby going to cwy?” he mocked in a nasty voice. 

Tom was crying, as he scrunched up his courage and pounded his fist on Chakotay’s chest, but like a small child’s, it didn’t do anything. “Bully! I’m going to tell my mommy on you!” 

“Go ahead,” Chakotay snipped and stepped aside so Tom could move by him, but as Tom did he pulled his hair. Tom cried and ran back around till he was near his helm and then once again shifted…another change coming on. 

“Well?” Janeway asked the Doctor, as she saw another change coming on the two men?”

“I’m getting all kinds of odd readings, but none of them make any sense. I’m also picking up large amounts of Teranic fibers?”

“They could have picked those up from their last mission,” Harry stated, just before all hell broke out. 

“YOU, SIR, WILL PAY FOR YOUR TREACHERY!” Chakotay shouted, as he pointed a finger at Tom. 

“NAY, SIR, IT SHALL BE YOU!” Tom shouted back, and then both men proceeded to act as it they were fencing, climbing over and around everything, nothing else existed. The only good thing was that they were unarmed, but they still caused havoc, especially when both men climbed on the command chairs, then the railing. 

Chakotay leaped back on to Tuvok’s station, to dodge a blow of Tom’s imaginary sword. Before Tuvok could react, he leaped away, but made a lung to Tom who jumped on Harry’s. Then leaped up to avoid a low swing, and came down hard before he then leaped away to give distance between the two fighting men. 

“Sedate them….something!” Janeway shouted, for the men were causing havoc, having single handedly sent the ship into red alert and off course, along with initiating one of the torpedoes in it’s bay, while beginning a full internal scan. 

Tuvok was minimizing the damage from Chakotay’s jumping upon his console, as Harry was doing the same from Tom’s leap of gusto. Two security men stepped forward to follow orders, when they were halted by the Doc’s voice. 

“Don’t. If you interfere…it could…kill them,” he suddenly voiced. 

“What do you mean?”

“They are mentally engaged in some sort of…alter reality. I don’t have enough information to say that interfering would be wise or not. All I can say is, for them, what ever is happening is…real.” 

Just then another shift as the two men stumbled, placing some distance between them. Both men slumped to the ground in front of the command chairs, silent for a moment, their eyes wide. 

“What’s happening?” 

“Another shift of some kind; it’s happening at such odd intervals…?” 

“Harry, how long till we’ll out of this?”

“I…” he looked frustrated. “I don’t know Captain, my console is…” he gestured his frustration, “A mess. I’m working on it,” he added after a moment. 

The sound of a female giggle made Janeway turn to see Ensign Kaplan looking away from her post down at the floor, but when she saw the look, she returned to her duty. This prompted Janeway to look and saw why the woman was giggling for it was just too cute for words. Like babies, both men were curled up asleep, but sucking each other’s thumbs; she couldn’t help but smirk at the sight and wonder how much she could milk this one for in the days to come. It was well known that Tom and Chakotay didn’t always get along, but the days of old were also passed. “Looks like they were born with the concept of sharing,” she quipped.

The EMH scanned them, “These are not their own personality traits, Captain. They simply have become susceptible to the micronurological elements that trigger…”

“Please, Doctor, spare me the medical lesson. Can you help them?” 

“Yes and no. No, I can’t do anything, but I can say that once we are clear from the nebula, this…phenomenon will pass.”

“Are you sure?”

“As I can be. The nebula contains the…” he stopped seeing Janeway was not in the mood, “The essential elements to trigger this response. Without it…they will once again be their…charming selves.” 

Just then both men snapped awake, and Chakotay grabbed the EMH and threw him over his head into the chair above him and jumped to his feet, looking fierce, but in control of it. He turned to look at the EMH who easily corrected himself. “Hope you learned something, son. Never sneak up on a soldier!” he stated firmly, like an older man to a youth, but one under his command. 

Tom on the other hand was crawling on the ground looking for something, taking very slow, calculated movements, his eyes wide, taking in everything’s, and his face close to the ground. “I know it’s here somewhere,” he said in a hushed determined voice. 

“Steady as she goes! Billow the sails to full!” Chakotay shouted his posture formidable. 

“Ah ha!” Tom said as he picked up a spec of nothing, and pretended to use a magnifying glass. “There you are my pretty.” 

 

Janeway wiped her eyes, “Well, at least their not trying to kill each…” she spoke too soon. 

Chakotay suddenly reached out and slugged Tom on the shoulder. “You’re it!” and ran passed the Doc and into the turbolift.

“You can’t hide from me!” Tom shouted back, but playfully as he too got up and ran to the lift and soon vanished from the bridge.

“Follow them,” she ordered the security team “Harry?”

“Almost have it, Captain.”

“Tuvok, keep a lock on them…”

“I would like to oblige you, Captain, however, my console too is still in need of work,” he replied. 

“Got it!” Harry shouted with excitement. “We’ll be exiting the nebula in…five minutes,” he stated confidently. 

“Good. The sooner the better. Janeway to Ensign Calloway, how are those two…doing?”

“Calloway here, Captain. We ah…” his voice trailed off. 

“Ensign?”

“I’m sorry to report, Captain, but we’ve lost them. The Computer had their locations here on deck eight, but we’ve found only com badges. Sorry Captain.” 

“Great. Harry?” 

“Running internal scans…stand by.” 

“Keep looking, Ensign. This may be a large ship, but how far can two…overgrown…kids go?” 

“Aye, Captain.” 

The channel closed. “Okay, Doctor, we’ll be out of this mess soon enough. I want you to help find Tom and Chakotay, for who knows what state they’ll be in when they…snap out of this.”

“Of course, Captain,” he acknowledged seriously and exited the bridge. 

Kathryn sat down in her chair, and relaxed for a moment, picturing all that she had witnessed here in the last half hour, and could no longer hold it back; she laughed, as did the rest of the crew…all but Tuvok, who merely arched a brow in amusement. 

“It would be safe to say that Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Pairs will not share you reaction to their behavior,” he commented. 

“I agree,” Janeway chuckled, but was trying to pull it in. “But…one does have to admit…it was…funny!” 

“If you say so, Captain.”

“I do, I most certainly do.” 

“Captain, we’re exiting the nebula…now,” Harry stated his own grin large as his face, as visions on how he was going to tease Tom unmercifully filled him. 

*********

“What do you mean, there’s a problem?” Janeway demanded as she stared at her EMH in sickbay. 

“Well, besides the ‘tummy aches’ they both have from over indulging in ice cream, while hiding from the security team…since they changed the rules of their game from tag to hide and seek, they are still acting in accordance to juveniles as they did once they left the bridge.” 

“You said that once we left the nebula, they would be back to normal!” 

“Captain, they should have resorted back, and I am trying to determine why they are not…”

A small moan comes from the biobed near by, and Janeway sees a green Tom Paris move to the side in time to vomit. 

“Terrific,” the Doctor grumbled as he moved to help Tom. “I told you to tell me if you were going to be sick,” he scolded. 

“Sorry,” Tom replied, his voice very much like a young child’s. 

“Daaady,” another young-like voice called out. 

The EMH moved to Chakotay in time to have a basin nearby before he vomited. “I’ve told you before, Commander. I am not your daddy.”

“Doctor,” Janeway chided softly, as it dawned on her that not only where her two officers acting like children, they were feeling like them too, scared, sick and looking for comfort. She walked up to Chakotay, “It’s going to be okay,” she soothed and caressed his hair, while reaching out and doing the same for Tom, who was watching her intently. 

“I’m sorry, mommy,” Tom whispered, as a few tears fell down his pale soft cheeks. “We didn’t mean it.” 

She gave a small laugh, “It’s okay, Tom, you’re…not in trouble. I think…the stomach ache takes care of any punishment do you, don’t’ you?”

“Yes,” Both Tom and Chakotay agreed. 

“Captain, if you wanted children, we could have talked,” the EMH quipped, only a hint of jest in his tone. 

“How long are they going to be sick?” 

“I only have to inject them with this,” he said, showing the hypo, “But I wanted to wait and see if you wanted them to…learn a lesson. After all, they did break into Neelix’s kitchen and freezer unit.” 

“Sorry, mommy,” Chakotay said sincerely. 

She was getting a double whammy, as both men turned on their puppy dog eyes that were inbred to all children; apparently even fake ones. “Give them their shot, Doctor. Then give me back my officers.” 

“Understood…Mom.” 

She gave the Doc a look of amusement, and her but-don’t-push-it glare and left to see what the rest of the real world was up too. 

“Here you go,” the Doc said in his sing-song voice and injected both men with the cure to their upset stomachs. Now, if you stay put and do as your told, I’ll see what I can do about arranging some desert after dinner…say, a double fudge Sunday?” 

Both men groaned as the EMH moved to place his equipment back and start his research into the problem. 

“He’s mean,” Tom said in a low pouty voice. 

“Very,” Chakotay agreed in the same low tone as he slowly sat up, taking note that the doctor’s back was to them. His soft brown eyes turned from warm to cold and calculating, “Perhaps he needs a lesson too?” he stated as he got up with stealth from his biobed and moved near by the computer console that housed the Doctors programming. 

Tom whose eyes now reflected the same coldness nodded, and also sat up on the biobed. When he saw Chakotay in position, his demeanor changed back to innocent and vulnerable. “Daddy?” 

“Lieutenant…” the Doctor said, going to correct him, but saw Chakotay was missing. “Where is Commander Chakotay?” 

“He had to potty,” Tom said in a soft voice. “Daddy, what you said and did to us was mean and you hurt our feelings,” he said softly. 

“I had no intentions on hurting your feelings, Lieutenant, but you must admit, eating four gallons of ice cream in one sitting is a bit much. Now…” he noticed he was fizzing out of existence and turned to see Chakotay at his controls. “Stop that!” 

“Why?” Chakotay asked in an innocent yet curious voice. 

“You are damaging my program!” he shouted and tried to move toward the console to fix it, but couldn’t he was degrading fast. 

“What’s the matter…daddy? Not ‘feeling’ so good?” 

The EMH turned to see Tom near him, his eyes and expression anything but innocent. “Lieutenant….you can’t let this…happen…” 

“Awe, sounds like he doesn’t like his punishment,” Chakotay stated coolly toward Tom, then smirked as the EMH fizzed off line. 

Tom moved to stand next to Chakotay, both now looking like the sweet little boy’s they had been earlier…in large form. “Now what?” 

Chakotay thinks for a moment, “Mom was nice, I say we keep her…for now.” 

“Okay. What about the others?” 

“Let’s go see if they know any cool games,” Chakotay suggested excitedly, and placed a protective arm around Tom as they headed out of sickbay. 

***********

“Commander, Lieutenant, how can I assist you?” Seven inquired as both men walked in her cargo bay area, talking little note that they were staring all around with awe and wonder. 

“Want to play with us?” Tom asked nicely. 

Seven turned to arch a brow at him, “I am working, Lieutenant, games, as you put it, are activities one schedules during their off duty times.”

“Huh?” Chakotay puzzled, looking at her as if she just spouted a lot of nonsense at him. 

“Commander, how can I assist you,” Seven asked again, this time redirecting her question to the one that would be professional. 

“You sure you don’t want to play with us?” Chakotay asked sweetly, his dimples showing. “We’d like to learn new games….”

Seven stared at him a moment, “Are you feeling all right, Commander? It is not like you to behave in…such a manner while on duty.” She paused for a moment “Though I had heard that there was a problem earlier, perhaps I should contact the doctor…”

“NO!” both of them said as one. 

Now she knew there was a problem and reached for her com badge, but was stopped by Tom’s hand grabbing her. She went to use her left arm that held the exoskeleton of the Borg implant which made her much stronger than a regular human, and was startled to find Chakotay’s grip on it, and him over powering her into a tight hold and pinning her against her console. 

“You are obviously not well and need medical attention,” She stated firmly. 

“She is like the other one,” Tom sneered in a dark cold tone. 

“Then she’ll have to be punished like him too,” Chakotay agreed, his voice also sounding like ice, but the immaturity was gone. 

Seven attempted to resist as she was forced into her cubical, as Tom played with the display and once she was forced to connect, her eyes shut and she shook for a few seconds and then became still. “That should teach her to be nicer,” Tom quipped victoriously. 

“Indeed,” Chakotay smirked, “what did you do to her?” 

“Just gave her a perpetual nightmare of her own making,” he chuckled darkly. “I didn’t ask you, what did you do to…Dad?” 

“Sent a minor em-pulse through his matrix, that will allow just enough of his consciousness to remain so he can experience the anguish of his decompiling over and over again,” he snickered. 

“Nice. So, shall we try again?”

“I don’t know. I don’t like being dismissed or treated this way,” Chakotay replied, some of the child like quality returning. 

“I don’t either. But perhaps we’re not coming across the right people. I mean…mom was nice?”

“Yeah, perhaps we should find her instead of others.” 

“I agree. She’ll be good to us,” Tom smiled, the child back in full form. 

*************

“Did you hear that?” Tom asked Chakotay as they were walking down the long hall from the cargo bay. 

Chakotay stopped and listened for a moment, then nodded. “It’s coming from…in there,” he pointed to another set of doors. They both moved toward it and found it locked. “Hmm,” he pondered for a second and then quickly typed in a code and the doors opened, then smiled mischievously at his partner. “Child’s play.” 

“Show off,” Tom laughed softly as they walked into the smaller cargo bay area. They listened again and heard the sounds coming from the far end and headed that way. 

Since they were spying, they both crouched low and peaked over a set of barrels to see that it was two male crew members engaged in what seemed like wrestling, except they were not on the floor and their lips were touching, as their hands moved all over the other’s body. 

“What kind of game do you think they’re playing?” Chakotay asked Tom 

“Don’t know? The look like they’re wrestling…no…no…” Tom seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, “They’re kissing…making out,” he clarified as if suddenly he understood. 

“Kissing?” 

“Like this,” Tom said, then leaned in and demonstrated by gently placing his lips upon Chakotay’s for a few seconds, before pulling back. Tom was startled by the reaction he was having to such a light touch of his partner’s lips. 

Chakotay blinked back at him in amazement, “Kissing,” he said, then slowly turned to see that they had been spotted and the two crew men were now staring at them in shock horror of being caught. “Oops,” Chakotay said softly as he stood up, as did Tom. 

“Ah, Commander….”

Chakotay smiled, “Were sorry, we should not have spied on you,” he said a bit bashfully. “You can keep…kissing,” he said, giggling, as mixed feelings filled him on the subject. 

“Sir?” 

“Come on,” Tom said, taking Chakotay’s hand, “We have to find mom,” giggling too as they ran out of the cargo bay. 

Outside the doors, both men giggled, then Tom looked at Chakotay, “You think they’ll tell on us?”

“Naw, they were sneaking around just like us,” he chuckled. 

Tom shrugged it off and moved down the hall with Chakotay, both still snickering a bit. They both entered the turbolift… “Take us to our mom,” Tom ordered. 

“It doesn’t know who our mom is, just where she might be,” Chakotay corrected, “But she doesn’t go by Mom…Dad called her…Captain…yes, that’s right, Captain. She’s incharge of this ship,” he replied in excitement of his understanding of the situation. 

“Okay, take us to the Captain,” he ordered. 

The turbolift squeaked and squealed for a second while the Computer adapted the request to normal parameters and matched voice patterns with authorization to the bridge before moving. 

Both men stood there silent, then another tiny giggle. “Kissing,” Chakotay said in a whimsical tone. 

“Yeah.” 

Then both men looked at each other, their eyes meeting for a long few seconds, and leaned in and let their lips brush once again, but jumped apart when the doors opened. 

“Commander, Lieutenant, I’m glad to see you both up and back to yourselves,” Neelix chimed as he entered the turbolift. “Deck five,” he ordered. “I’m glad you’re not still sick from all that Ice crème you two ate; though I must wonder why…”

“You’re the one that told on us,” Tom said firmly, his eyes shifting from sweet to cold in seconds. 

“Ah, told on you?”

“Yes, you’re the one that told the others where to find us and got us in trouble with Mother,” Chakotay growled. 

“Mother? Commander, are you all right?” 

Tom reached out and stopped the lift manually, as Chakotay swiped the com badge off the Talxian, who was now quite frightened. “We don’t like getting into trouble,” Tom growled. 

“And we don’t like tatal-tales, either,” Chakotay added, taking a step forward, forcing the little alien to step back to the wall. 

“Ccccommander, what’s going on? I…I didn’t doooo anything?” 

“You told on us,” Tom growled, as he too got in Neelix’s face. 

“That was a bad thing to do,” Chakotay chided in a threating voice. 

“Very bad,” Tom concurred. 

“Computer…” 

Chakotay punched Neelix in the throat, silencing him, and forcing the little alien to struggle in his breathing. 

“You were going to tell on us again, weren’t you?” Tom asked in disdain. “That kind of behavior requires punishment…doesn’t it?” he asked, this time, looking at Chakotay, whose dark eyes could have froze a nova with but a look. 

“Most assuredly,” he agreed as he grabbed Neelix in a hold that was so strong, the sound of a few ribs cracking echoed in the lift, as Tom played with the panel. In seconds they were beamed out of the lift. 

*********

“Janeway to the Doctor.” 

Kathryn sat in her chair on the bridge, waiting for a response, but that had been the third hail and no response. “Harry?”

“I’m not reading any life signs in sickbay.” 

“Tuvok, go find out what’s going on down there,” she ordered, not liking the feeling she was having in her gut. 

“Captain, Seven hasn’t answered any of my hails, either. She was supposed to deliver the astrometrics report to me over five minutes ago,” Harry informed the Captain. “And sensors state she is in her cargo bay.” 

“I don’t like this. Send security to check out her, and locate Chakotay and Mr. Paris. I don’t like the idea of those two…boys wondering around unattended.”

“Aye, Captain.” 

“Gerron to the Captain,” came a hushed call. 

“Go ahead,” she said, surprised to be called directly by the young man. 

“You need to send security to the mess hall…quickly. I think they’re really going to hurt him…

“Ho, ho, look’s like we have another snitch,” Tom’s dark voice chimed over the com badge. 

“Then he’ll have to be punished too,” Chakotay responded in a voice that sent a chill down everyone’s spine, and then the link was closed. 

“Send security to meet me at the mess hall,” she ordered as she jumped from her seat and dashed to the lift doors. “Mr. Kim, you have the bridge.”

********

She met up with Tuvok outside of the mess hall. “Gerron called me from the bridge; Tom and Chakotay are in there doing…who knows what,” she hissed in concern and anger. 

“I have just come from the Cargo bay, where I located Seven in a forced stage of regeneration. Lieutenant Torres is working on freeing her, for though she is in a resting state, she is experiencing extreme distress. As for the Doctor, his program has been tampered with in a manner that I am not familiar with; however, Lieutenant Torres has her hands full with Seven, since she is the current priority.” 

Janeway shook her head in slight anger, as she geared up to face what was inside, “draw phasers, but don’t fire unless I say so,” she ordered as she moved inside the mess hall. 

The first thing sound that met her ears was…laughter…happy laughter, not the maliciousness she had been anticipating. She moved farther in to see Tom and Chakotay playing ping-pong with make shift ball and paddles from items found in the hall. When both men saw her, they stopped and grinned like children who had not seen their mother in ages. 

“Mother!” both called out as they dropped their stuff and made toward her. 

“Stop!” she ordered, her hands our ward, indicating that they don’t touch her. 

“Mother, what’s wrong?” Tom asked, truly puzzled, and a bit of hurt showing in his eyes. 

Kathryn had to struggle hard to recall that these men were supposedly children mentally, but they had not sounded like children over the com channel a short while ago. She schooled her face, “Where are Mr. Neelix and Crewman Gerron Tem?” she asked firmly, but level. 

Both men looked at each other a moment, then looked remorseful and pointed to the freezer door in the back of the mess hall. 

“Sit,” she snapped, and was pleased that they listened, then turned to see Tuvok pry open the freezer and in short pull out a bald, naked, died purple Talaxian, tied up like a Christmas turkey, covered in heavy frost, and a similar Gerron, except for the balding and skin color…it was blue solely from the cold. 

“We need to get Mr. Neelix to the infirmary at once,” Tuvok ordered, “He is in server shock.” He handed over the unconscious body of the alien and let his security team beam him to sick bay, along with Gerron Tem. 

Tuvok then moved to stand next to the Captain, “The controls were tampered with and set beyond normal parameters. If we had not discovered Mr. Neelix when we did, he would have frozen to death in another ten minutes.” 

Janeway’s eyes went wide in disbelief, “And Gerron?” 

“He appears not to have been exposed to the cold nearly as long as Mr. Neelix has been.” 

“The fuzzy guy needed to be punished,” Tom pouted, with a bit of anger, that was attempting to cover how upset he was, for he knew he was in big trouble. 

“We would have taken them both out in…” just then a timer sounded. “See?” Chakotay added, he too looking upset about the trouble he and Tom were in. 

“You…you did this? Did you…punish the Doctor and Seven too?” 

“Who?” they asked as one. 

“Dad…and…the woman in the cargo bay,” Janeway fired off, barely holding her temper at bay. 

“Father was mean to us,” Chakotay replied, his innocents slightly replaced by his anger, “and needed to learn a lesson.” 

“The other woman wouldn’t play with us…”

“And she too needed a…lesson?” 

“Yes,” both said evenly, then downcast their eyes, for they saw the anger in her eyes. “Sorry.” 

“S…sorry? Sorry? You almost decompile our only physician on board ship, and came close to killing Neelix and Gerron…”

“We weren’t going to kill him,” Chakotay corrected. 

“Don’t interrupt,” she scolded, glad to see he quieted up quickly and still looked remorseful. “And just what did you do to Seven?”

“Perpetual nightmare,” Tom muttered. 

Janeway felt livid, and had not the touch of her second in command bring her a sense of calm, which he was projecting; she would have gone off on the two of them. As it was she stepped back so she could hear what he had to say. 

“Captain, I think you should evaluate this situation closely before reacting. For one, they are not acting like the Commander of the Lieutenant, but children that have selected you as their mother figure…dangerous children…but children none the less.”

“Meaning?”

“If you act out of hast, you may lose what control you have over them. As you can see, they are responding to you in a remorseful way…”

“Not remorse, but as two naughty children that know they are in a hell of a lot of trouble…”

“From their mother. It stands to reason that so long as you maintain this authority over them, you might be able to get them to undo the damage they have done and perhaps contain the problem. For may I point out, the Doctor, the one they called father, had miscalculated and there for lost any hold he had over them, thus…”

“He’s decompiling in his matrix…” she sighed, “got it.” 

Tom leaned over to Chakotay, “You think we over did it a bit?” 

Chakotay nodded, “I think so,” he said, then looked up from underneath his long dark lashes to see neither of the others were looking at them, “just a bit,” he smirked quickly, then let the look fall away. 

Janeway walked over to her…dangerous children, and looked at them firmly. “Okay, you two. First, can you undo what you did to the Doc…dad, and Seven?”

“Yes,” they both reply in sync. 

“Very well. Commander, you will accompany Tuvok to aid in Seven’s release…”

 

“He did that one, I did Fa…the Doctor,” Chakotay corrected softly. 

“Very well, Lieutenant, you will accompany Mr. Tuvok to the cargo bay and free Seven, and then back to sick bay, where we shall be,” she said, looking at Chakotay firmly. “Then, we’ll…discuss….your punishment. Understand?” 

“Yes, Mother,” they replied contritely 

Janeway was no fool, she heard the change in the tones of the two before her, and how her hold on them, might be slipping regardless, so treaded softly, till she could find out more about what she was dealing with and just how dangerous these two really were. “Come on.” 

********

“I’m glad to report that all is doing well,” the Doctor reported to Janeway, who stood quietly, keeping one eye on the two men in a secure section of sickbay, while looking on those who had met up with their wrath. 

“Glad to hear it. Now, what’s with them?” she nodded toward Tom and Chakotay. 

“It’s taken me some time and a few tests, but…I found that this latest personality problem is not due simply to what occurred in the nebula…”

“Then what?”

“Simply put, we have company,” he nodded toward the two men looking in their direction. “I’ve also run some scans and if my guess is right, who ever they are, is maturing fast in this environment, and though they can draw from their…hosts knowledge, it is limited. It seems the first lesson they learned was, do something wrong…get punished. The rest…?” 

“Tom, Chakotay?” 

“It’s safe to assume they are in there, but how to draw them out or get the others to leave…I don’t know.” 

“I guess, it’s time to see if they can provide us with any answers,” she sighed, and then braced herself. She walked over to the force field, and noted the anger in their eyes. “Let me start by saying I’m sorry that you were forced to stay cooped up here, but it was needed to determine what happened here,” she said calmly. 

“Can we go then?” Tom asked evenly. 

“That depends?” 

“On?” Chakotay inquired, his expression more collected then Tom’s. 

“What do you mean by go? You see, I’ve come to understand that you two are not…my chief helmsman or my First Officer…”

“Told you she’s bright,” Chakotay quipped to Tom. 

“Does that mean you won’t be or Mother any more?” Tom asked, ignoring Chakotay’s comment. 

Kathryn gave a slight frustrated look, and then calmed herself, “Why don’t we start from the beginning. Who are you? Where do you come from and why are you here?” 

Chakotay pointed to himself, “Telik,” then Tom, “Zelik.”

“The colors,” Tom said next. 

“To experience the outer-world,” Chakotay added next. 

“Will you be our mother?” Tom asked, eyeing her in such a manner that suggested that if she wanted any more information from then, it was her turn to answer. 

“If it means that you retain the bodies of my officers…I’m sorry…but no.” 

“Told you,” Chakotay said coldly, but his eyes showed a bit of hurt. 

“Boys, you have to understand…” she tried to plea.

“We understand fine,” Tom interjected firmly. 

“I can not allow you take what is not mine to give you…it would be…wrong.” 

“Wrong?” Chakotay asked, suddenly intrigued. 

“Yes, wrong. Tom and Chakotay have the right to exist in their own bodies; I do not have the right to take it away from them…”

“We can not exist out of the colors without them,” Tom interjected desperately. “And…it’s…”

“Lonely,” Chakotay finished for his partner. “There are only…us…no one else.” 

Janeway felt for the young aliens, but still, what they were doing was wrong, “I’m sorry, but you can’t have Tom and Chakotay’s bodies, perhaps we can find another way for you two to exist…”

“Captain,” the EMH interrupted, “I hate to be the barer of bad news, but according to current scans, and from what new information I have from Telik and Zelik, if they don’t go back to the nebula soon, it won’t matter one way or another who’s body they have…they will die.” 

“Surely, Doctor…”

“No, he is right,” Chakotay stated firmly. “We can not exist out of the colors long even in these bodes…but we had hoped…”

“For it to be…worth whiled,” Tom finished for his partner. 

“I can’t let you die,” she suddenly stated firmly, like a mother who’s children were in danger. She taped her badge, “Mr. Tuvok, turns us around and make all speed back to the nebula,” she ordered. “I’ll fill you in later,” he stated, then closed the channel. 

“We don’t’ want to go back,” Tom protested. 

“We told you, there is no one else…it’s…lonely,” Chakotay added to the protest. 

“Please,” Kathryn said soothingly, seeing the aliens getting upset, and she was still upset at what they were capable of, “Lets keep you alive first, and see what we can do…there might be away to help you without anyone dying or anyone losing out on their bodies…okay?” 

They both look at each other a moment, then nod yes. 

“Good. Now…is it possible for me to communicate to Commander Chakotay and Mr. Paris?” 

They look at each other again, and nod yes, “Briefly, and not together,” Chakotay stated, “and not long. Who first?” 

“Chakotay, if you please,” she said, a bit relieved that this was going smoother than she had hoped. She watched the two hold hands and stare at each other a long moment, and then Chakotay slumped forward slightly, wiping his eyes with his free hand. 

“Chakotay?” 

He looked up and looked at Tom, then around him, “Captain?” 

“Are you okay?”

“I…I’m fine…” he shook his head as if it was fuzzy. 

“Do you know what’s going on?” 

“Sort of…yes. They’re dying, Kathryn,” he suddenly pleaded as if she needed to know this before he succumb once more. “I don’t know why…”

“We know this, and we’re taking them back to the nebula, but they don’t want to go back…”

“It’s an empty void for them,” Chakotay replied, the pain of understanding filled his eyes. “Had not a few ships pass through there some time back, they would have never known that there was a world beyond their colors, as they call it. But now that they know…they have come to understand that they are alone and it has made them…”

“Desperate and lonely, I understand, Chakotay. I’m not sure what we can do for them, but we’ll try. Is there anything you can tell us that might help?” 

Chakotay thought about it a moment, “Only that they move through the colors as we move through the rest of space. They must be apart of it’s prism somehow, but I don’t know their physical make up or anything like that. Only that they are intelligent, young in mind, if not in spirit, and…don’t want to go back to what they had before…nothing.” 

“They had each other?” The EMH suggested. 

“They are like…one, but still separate. Plus, they have existed for the same amount of time as the other, and have nothing to offer the other…they’re too much alike, since they are the same and no outside stimuli to induce change…” he started to look pale. “I…he’s got to come back,” he then said, and turned back to look into Tom’s eyes and was once more still. 

After a moment, Tom blinked and leaned forward, a bit dizzy. After a few blinks, he looked at Kathryn, “this is so weird. It’s as if we’re linked and can share our thoughts, yet still separate…kind of cool,” he smiled slightly, for he knew this was a serious matter. 

Kathryn quickly filled Tom in what she knew and what Chakotay had said, “Do you have any input that might help us here?” 

“Only that if they exist in light, than perhaps a holographic body might help,” Tom suggested. 

“I’ll look into it,” the Doc replied, all awhile taking intense scans of the two men. 

“Well, I don’t know if you two can lend a hand in curbing their behavior…” Janeway started to say. 

“Are we in trouble?” Tom inquired, showing he was not really aware of all that had happened while under, much like Chakotay. 

“Let’s say, they are…big time. But, we’ll still help them if we can. If you can help them learn more via your link…?”

“I’ll try,” Tom replied as he too turned back to Chakotay feeling the need, and once more their eyes locked and both became still. 

Then they released hands and faced Janeway, letting it be known by their expressions that it was Telik and Zelik once more. 

“As you can see, we have not harmed them,” Telik said evenly. 

“Yes, and I thank you for that. Though may I suggest you…communicate with them inside…they may be able to…help you adjust, while you are here,” Janeway suggested. 

“Very well,” Zelik agreed. “Are we going to be punished?” 

“Normally you should be, however…if we can provide you with the help you need, we’ll discuss it later, sound fair?” 

“Yes,” both replied as one. 

“It has been suggested that perhaps a holographic body such as the Doctor here could be of use…”

“No, that is not possible, it can not house us…I have…checked,” Telik/Chakotay replied sadly. “Though it’s basic matrix programs can sustain some of our colors, it can not contain them all.” 

“Can you give us more information as to what you are?”

“No,” Zelik/Tom replied flatly. “We do not fully understand it either. Our knowledge is as scattered as is our colors. Though we are growing from those that host us, or those who has passed among us, we still have much to learn, but fear we will not learn it all in time to be of any help to you.” 

“If you entered your…colors again, would you be able to communicate with us?” Janeway inquired with some hope. 

“Perhaps,” Zelix/Tom mused. “I will have to give it more thought. However, if we are housed in these forms again, then we can do so.”

“You’re saying that you can enter and exit Tom and Chakotay’s bodies…at will?”

“They were touched by the colors…so they can be touched by us…yes,” Telik/Chakotay replied easily. “But our time away from our colors will always be limited. 

“Okay. First order of business, get you home. Then we’ll see how we can help you. Why don’t you two rest, it’s been quite a day, and we’ll be back soon enough, alright?” 

Both looked at each other again, another nod, “Agreed,” They said as one and shifted to lie down on the same biobed, and curled up around each other and was asleep in seconds. 

Janeway stepped back with the Doctor, “I don’t think I’ll get use that that sight,” she mused softly, seeing her First officer and Chief pilot cuddling, then turned a serious eye toward him. “Can we help them?”

“I won’t know till we get back to the nebula. Though I suggest we don’t enter it fully, I don’t think either the Commander of Lieutenant Paris needs any more personality crises” 

“I agree. Keep an eye on them. I’m gong to check on Seven and see if she can shed any light on this matter…ah…pardon the pun,” she smiled, thought her concern for the two aliens was clear in her eyes, as she moved off to see what she could do to help. 

***********

“How are you feeling?” Janeway asked as she looked down at her First Officer. 

Chakotay looked up at her and gave a weak smile, “Besides embarrassed…fine,” he chuckled weakly. 

“And you, Tom?” she turned to ask, seeing Tom sitting up on his bio bed. 

“The same. Did I really scream like a girl after picking daises?” he asked, his face turning bright red.

“Afraid so,” Kathryn replied, trying to keep the smirk off her face. 

“Permission to crawl under a rock for a week,” Chakotay asked as he too sat up, his face showing all the signs of embarrassment too. 

Janeway smiled and chuckled a little, “Denied. Gentlemen, I know this has been a bit…embarrassing for you, but the crew understands that you were not acting on your own accord…”

“Like that’s going to help. There’s no way Harry’s going to let that little girl act go…” Tom shook his head low, trying to keep it together.

“At least you didn’t have a full out hissy fit,” Chakotay stated, he too not sure how he was going to face the crew. 

“Gentlemen…please. I’m sure with time, we’ll all get passed this,” she said in a firmer tone, trying to lend them some support. “Any word from Telik and Zelik?” she asked to change the subject. 

Tom looked up at her and smiled wide, “Oh yeah, they’re thrilled to no end.”

“They had no idea that there were others like themselves in the nebula, isolated from one another; to suddenly be among hundreds is very exciting for all of them. They sent their thanks.”

“Well, thank the Doctor and Seven, they were the ones to discover that those so called personality fluxes were actually the temporary collision of the two of you coming into contact with one of the life forms in the nebula, and found the reason why they were cut off from one another and fixed it.”

“Well, I for one am happy for them,” Tom chimed, feeling much better knowing this all turned out to be a happy ending. 

“I agree. Though as for thanking Seven…?”

“I told you, they know it was not you who was behind any of what happened, so relax. You both have the next two days off to rest, then I want you back…no more fun and games gentlemen…duty calls,” she teases and with a pat on their shoulders, she leaves them. 

Tom shifts down from his biobed and stands next to Chakotay. “Should we tell her?” he asks in a hushed voice. 

Chakotay slips down from the bed and looks around then at Tom, “That it was our influence that led to Neelix to look like a spotted egg plant?”

“Or the doctor little trip into matrix-ville…ah...yes, that.” 

Chakotay thought about it a moment then his dark eyes looked very impish, “Naw,” he chuckled. “What they don’t know won’t hurt them.” 

Tom nodded his approval of this decision. “Well, now that’s over with, now what?” 

Chakotay turns to Tom, their lips close enough to touch, but not, “I have an idea,” he purred. 

“Oh, and what would that be?” Tom breathed back, his eyes meeting up with Chakotay’s. 

Suddenly Chakotay slugged Tom on the shoulder, knocking him back a foot, “You’re it!” and dashed out sickbay. 

The EMH witnessed this and was storming out of his office, “What is the meaning of this…?” he shouted, grabbing a tricorder and scanner.

Tom looked at him and smirked, “I’m it,” he grinned and ran out after Chakotay. 

The doc looked at the closed doors of sickbay, “Perhaps it wasn’t all implanted after all,” he mused as he tossed the tricorder and scanner over his shoulder in defeat and walked back into his office; he’d let the ship’s ‘mom’ deal with it…he as of now was off duty. 

THE END


End file.
